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Headed from Madurai to Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu

Headed from Madurai to Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu

I checked out of my hotel and will try to catch a bus from Madurai to Pondicherry. I am finally leaving Madurai after an overly-long stay here.

I did make it to the Gandhi Memorial Museum yesterday. Lots of words, but a well-done museum of the history of the Indian Independence movement and of Gandhi's life.

I had put off getting a ticket to Bangkok by Christmas. I realized yesterday this was urgent. However, I've been running around all day in Madurai trying to find a travel agent that is open. Everything is closed on Sunday. I have given in to the urge to explain to people that it would make sense for a travel agent to be open on Sunday. But of course it does nothing to say anything, everyone looks at me with indifference to the logic of my argument.

Also, once finding an agent I have not even gotten a ticket. There are a thousand reasons why: Air India must be a paper ticket; Air India office is closed on Sunday; Air India website does not let the customer book a ticket themselves. Everything is possible Monday morning. Meanwhile, I've put my bus trip off later and later in the day today because I'm concerned there won't be any ticket left on Monday. So I'm paddling upstream here, even though everything says it's not possible to get the ticket today.

I will paddle upstream for another thirty minutes and then head to the bus station for a late busride to Pondicherry.

Headed from Madurai to Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu

After a bunch of rigamarole this afternoon -- and I mean a BUNCH of rigamarole, going to the center of town to different travel agencies and being told over and over again, "Not Possible" -- I got the ticket to Bangkok.... I think. I finally gave up on the travel agencies. I went to the bus station and decided I was only willing for a deluxe bus eight hours to Pondicherry. The bus doesn't leave until 10pm so I have time to kill at an internet cafe. So I go online just now, go to airindia.com, and find I can select the flight. Furthermore, I (apparently) successfully register on the site, purchase the ticket with a credit card, and arrange to pick it up at Chennai airport. So it looks like I'm all set.

The other thing holding me back was that the travel agent yesterday told me I would need onward plane flight to board the plane. But after some internet research it appears that I can get the tourist visa at the consulate in Chennai and I shouldn't have any problems. I may not have had any problems anyway, but getting the visa ahead of time may make it easier all the way to Bangkok, plus perhaps I can get a 60-day instead of a 30-day visa. We'll see.

The ticket is for 12.15am Christmas morning. I'll look out the window for Santa and his sleigh.

Mark

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